A trip up to Felbrigg Park today was very worthwhile with the two Firecrests showing well in the car park, a few groups of Crossbills were seen flying round, with a pair watched feeding in the larches, where there were also good numbers of Lesser Redpolls and Siskins present, and a number of Chiffchaffs were seen and heard in the woodland.
Down by the lake, a Barn Owl was hunting the fields, despite it being mid-morning, on the lake was a Mute Swan, a few Tufted Ducks and a pair of Mandarins which flew in calling and then engaged in a bout of mutal preening and other courtship display.
An Oystercatcher was standing on the lake wall, the first I've seen down there this year and a Sand Martin was feeding over the water. On the adjacent meadows 2 pairs of Shelduck have recently arrived, a male Reed Bunting was singing from one of the hawthorn bushes, and a Grey Heron flew over. Also a number of Egyptian Geese were also present flying from tree to tree which always seems weird for a goose.
Despite the light rain and the fact that it hadn't been seen by the people looking when I arrived, I still ventured up to the lighthouse for a look for the Alpine Swift and almost immediately picked it up flying round by the church, it then flew up to the lighthouse, did a few circuits and then started to feed over the trees inland of the coast road, so is now present for its 7th day.
Down by the lake, a Barn Owl was hunting the fields, despite it being mid-morning, on the lake was a Mute Swan, a few Tufted Ducks and a pair of Mandarins which flew in calling and then engaged in a bout of mutal preening and other courtship display.
An Oystercatcher was standing on the lake wall, the first I've seen down there this year and a Sand Martin was feeding over the water. On the adjacent meadows 2 pairs of Shelduck have recently arrived, a male Reed Bunting was singing from one of the hawthorn bushes, and a Grey Heron flew over. Also a number of Egyptian Geese were also present flying from tree to tree which always seems weird for a goose.
Despite the light rain and the fact that it hadn't been seen by the people looking when I arrived, I still ventured up to the lighthouse for a look for the Alpine Swift and almost immediately picked it up flying round by the church, it then flew up to the lighthouse, did a few circuits and then started to feed over the trees inland of the coast road, so is now present for its 7th day.
